Cases

Jameel & Another v Times Newspapers Ltd (No.2)

Held

(1) Although parts of the words complained of were capable of being defended as reports of court proceedings and/or public documents, they added little or nothing to the real sting of the libel. Also the real privilege defence was the Reynolds one. On these grounds the judge would have dismissed the statutory privilege plea on case management grounds. But since privilege was to be tried by judge alone, there was nothing to be gained by doing so. (2) The reasons given by the New York plaintiffs' lawyers for his joinder as a defendant did not amount to sufficient grounds for inquiry. The judge therefore struck out the justification defence.

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